Stabilized thermosetting alkyd compositions



Patented May 25, I954 STABILIZED THERMQSE-TTING COMPOSITION S Thomas F. Anderson, Toledo, Ohio, assignor, mesne assignments, to Allied Chemical &

N. Y., a corporation of Corporation, New York,

a N ew' York ALKYiD y Dye No Drawing. Application August 25, 1949, Serial No. 112,413

7 Claims.

The invention relates to stabilized thermosetting compositions, and more particularly to stabilized thermosetting compositions containing a polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resin.

A polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resin (1. e., a polymerizable unsaturated polyhydric alcoholpolycarboxylic acid polyester) is. highly advantageous as a starting material for theproduction of hardened synthetic resins in that it is resinous in character before polymerization, and is fusible at a temperature at which polymerization is not rapid. Other heat-hardenable compositions, such as urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde compositions, are much more diflicult to fabricate because they do not exist as plastic resins at temperatures much below their hardening temperatures. Since a heat-hardenable composition can beshaped only while it isin a fused condition, the failure of other heat-hardenable compositions to reach a fused state below their hardening temperatures is a great handicap in fabricating operations. By the time a ureaiormaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde composition has reached a fused state in a fabricating operation, its hardening already has begun, so I that .the hardening interferes with the shaping or molding of the composition.

A saturated.heatehardenable alkyd resin, such as glycerol phthalate, is hardened by esterifieation with elimination of water. An alkyd resin that is hardened by esterification cannot be employed to make a molded article or other solid body, because it is too difiicult to remove water firom the interior of such a solid body in order to complete the hardening. Even urea-formaldehydeand phenol-formaldehyde compositionstend to: give .off small .amounts of volatiles as they are hardened in a mold. In contrast, a polymerizable unsaturated polyester hardens by polymerization without evolution of volatiles.

These important advantages have made polymerizable unsaturated polyesters of great commercial value; nevertheless the commercialization of such polyesters has been seriously impeded by vthe fact that such polyesters lack stability after the addition of the polymerization catalyst that is necessary to cause polymerization to take place. In the manufacture of commercial products from such polyesters, polymerization in the presence of a polymerization catalyst ordinarily is carried out atane'levated temperature in order to cause the polymerization to take place rapidly. Afitr the addition of a polymerization catalyst to such a polyester, however, polymerization proseeds slowly at atmospheric temperatures. The

Id rate of polymerization at atmospheric temperatures after the incorporation of a polymerization catalyst is rapid enough the polyester may become a substantially inihe useful life of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester after incorporation of a polymerization catalyst is so short that it does not afford sufficient time for a manufacturer to ship the catalyst-containing polyester to a user. For that reason it has been the invariable practice heretofore for the manufacturer of a polymerizable unproportion of a polymerization catalyst required for a small batch of the material must be weighed out very accurately, then incorporated very uniformly throughout the batch. Uniform incorporation of a catalys a molding composition is a particularly ,difiicult pheric temperatures to .the .same extent as the polymerization would have ,been retarded by ization catalyst that mixed with rial at the top omission of a certain proportion of the polymerization catalyst from the mixture, but also interferes with the polymerization at molding temperatures so as to impair the quality of the molded product to the same extent as the quality would have been impaired if that same proportion of the polymerization catalyst had been omitted. These inhibitors are of no value for the purpose of stabilization, because it is useless to add an inhibitor when exactly the same effect can be obtained by omitting part of the polymerization catalyst.

The present invention is based upon the discovery that a certain type of substance, in conjunction with oxygen, produces upon a mixture of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester and a polymerization catalyst a novel effect that is of great commercial importance, i. e., has the efiect of greatly retarding the polymerization at atmospheric temperatures of a mixture of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester and a polymerization catalyst, without producing a corresponding impairment of the quality of the molded product. inafter as a stabilizer to distinguish it from an ordinary inhibitor.

The stabilizing effect upon a mixture of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester and a polymerof the present invention is the combined effect of oxygen and a stabilizer. Such stabilizing eriect cannot be produced by the stabilizer alone or by oxygen alone. The fact that the stabilizing effect obtained in the practice of the invention is the combined efiect been demonstrated as follows:

A stabilizer of the present invention (2.0 grams of o-chlorophenol) and a polymerization catalyst (3.0 grams of benzoyl peroxide) were mixed intimately with 100 grams of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester and 35 grams of diallyl phthalate (an unsaturated substance that is capable of copolymerizing with the unsaturated polyester), and the resulting viscous liquid was Banbury mixer. The resulting mixture was removed from the Banbury mixer in the form of a solid lump about two inches in diameter. After standing for three weeks at atmospheric temperature, the lump of material had polymerized to a worthless mass. Thus it was demonstrated that the stabilizing effect is not produced by a stabilizer alone in the absence of oxygen.

A mixture was prepared in the same manner, but upon removal from the Banbury mixer was rolled into a sheet about one-quarter inch thick. Twenty-four hours later the sheet was cut into pieces about two inches square, and 8 of the pieces were stacked and then pressed under 1000 pounds of pressure to form a solid block. After three weeks at atmospheric temperature, the block was sawed in half. It was found that the interior of each of the stacked sheets had polymerized, but that there was a layer of the mateof each sheet and a layer of the material at the bottom of each sheet which had been in contact with the air while the material was in sheet form and which had not polymerized. Thus, it was demonstrated that the material at the surface of the sheet was stabilized by the combined action of air and the stabilizer.

The procedure described in the preceding paragraph was repeated but in this case the stabilizer was omitted from the material. When the block was sawed apart at the end of three is produced in the practice of oxygen and the stabilizer has 180 grams of asbestos fiber in a Such a substance is referred to herel of the liquid from a substance is weeks, it was found that the material had polymerized uniformly throughout the interior of the block. Thus, the stabilizing efiect described in the preceding paragraph was not present in this case because the material at the surface of the sheet was exposed to oxygen in the absence of the stabilizer.

In order to produce the stabilizing effect in the practice of the invention a polymerizable unsaturated polyester, a polymerization catalyst and a stabilizer of the invention are carried on a filler in contact with air. A polymerizable unsaturated pciyester is normally a liquid, but in a material properly prepared from a filler and a composition consisting principally of such a polyester, the polyester composition is carried on the filler in contact with air. When the resulting material contains a stabilizer of the present invention in addition to a polymerization catalyst, it is stable by reason of the combined action of the stabilizer and the oxygen of the air.

Thus, a composition of the invention comprises a polymerizable unsaturated polyester, a polymerization catalyst and a stabilizer, carried on a filler in contact with air. Preferably the composition also contains a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance. The properties of finished articles produced by polymerization of a composition embodying the invention are better when the composition contains a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance, so that such ordinarily used in the composition. It is believed that because of their large size the polyester molecules are not mechanically well adapted to polymerize with one another and that the better properties of finished aticles produced from a composition containing a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric compound are due to the superior curability of such a composition. The monomeric compound is believed to impart better curability to the composition because of its ability to cross link the unsaturated polyester molecules by copolymerizing with such molecules.

In the practice of the present invention, the proportions of the polyester, the monomeric compound (if any) and the filler are such and the physical form of the composition is such that the filler carries the other ingredients of the composition in contact with air.

Thus, a composition embodying the invention may be carried on a filler in contact with air if the remaining ingredients of the composition form a liquid having a viscosity low enough so that it can be absorbed by the filler and if the proportion of the filler is sufficient to absorb all of such liquid. The physical form of the composition then is the same as the physical form of the filler and the filler absorbs the liquid containing the remaining ingredients of the composition and. thus carries such ingredients in contact with air. However, such a composition, consisting of a filler in which a liquid containing the remaining ingredients of the composition is absorbed, is inconvenient to use and would not ordinarily be employed in commercial practice. When an attempt is made to produce articles from such a composition by ordinary molding procedures, the liquid absorbed by the filler, because of its low viscosity, may be squeezed out of the filler and squirted out of the mold, and the separation the filler may result in the production of molded articles that are not homogeneous. Moreover, the proportion of filler in such a composition must be relatively high in order that the'fi-liermayabsorbmll; on the liquid contaming-the remaining ingnedients: of the compOSitiDna Ordinarily, it is not desirable that the ingredients other than the filler form a liquid of relatively low viscosity, becauseit is the low viscosity of such iiquidthat causes it to be squeezed out of the filler during molding so as to produce molded articles that are undesirably-non--homgeneous; yet the ingredients of the Y composition other than the filler; must form a liquid of relatively low viscosity ii -ail of such liquid is-tobe absorbed-by thefiller;

Theretore, it is preierabieto selecta polymerizableunsa atedpolyesterthat'is viscous enough, and to keep the proportion of any liquid monomeric compound in the composition low enough, so that the. ingredients of the'composition other than the filler form-a liquid of relatively high viscosity. Such a liquid usually is-only incompletely absorbed by the filler and tends, to coat the filler so as to formadough or solid mass. In the practice of the invention, such a dough or solid mass must be put into a physical form in more than about one-quarter inch thick. The proportion of filler in the'composition should be sufiicientto permit thedough to be rolled into a. I continuous sheet, and thetackiness of the liquid formed by the ingredients other-than the filler should be great enought to permit the sheet to be handled :without crumbling.- The rolling of the dough or putty-like material'into a sheet involves the generation o1 heat by friction, and it is de- .rial seemto be self-supporting so that the material does not coalesce into a solid/mass; The

in accordance with the. well-known mechanical principles of the column and the .arch. If the same dough or putty-likematerial is cut into smal pieces and placedina. container, the full weight of the material in of the container is transmitted asapressure upon the material in the lower part of the container which causes the pieces to coalesce intoa solid mass.

Similar resultscan be Obtained by extruding-a dough. or putty-like material. in the form of rods orribbonshaving a maximum: thickness ofrabout onequarter inch instead of rolling it into .asheet. After the rods or ribbons have cooled to atmospherictemperature, they can be placed in a .containerfor shipment.

In many'cases'itispossiblesto prepare thematerial ina'; form that: is still morez desirable than the sheets, rods or ribbons hereinbefore described. This most desirable-"form of the materialcanbe obtained'by the use of :a' polymerizable unsaturated polyester that is a liquid of" very high viscosity or a. liquid that can be: caused to undergo substantial crystallization. By mixing the proper proportion of a filler with a liquid polyester of very high viscosity it is possible to prepare-a.- material that when-passed bet-ween rollsiunder pressure produces a sheet having a leathery exture, i. ve., the'feeland generalap 'pearanceof crude leather. The resulting leathery sheet'may be chopped into fragments that do -not coalesce whenstored in an ordinary shipping container. If the fragments of such a leathery-ma- :terial embodying the invention have a maximum diameter not greater than about one-quarter inch, the filler carries the remaining ingredientsof" the composition in contact with air and the composition-remains stable when placed in an ordinary shipping container.

A polymerizable unsaturated polyester that tends to crystallize is particularly useful in the Thus. the preferredcompositions embodyingthe invention are non-tacky so that they granules that do not STABILIZER; Astabilizer' of the invention isanagent which, acting in combination with theoxygen of the air,

oxygen atoms that said monohydric phenol that is connected to the to the hydroxy group on the composition at molding temperatures. term organic peroxides acyl, and Y is hydrogen or -(i. e., bis(benzoyl)peroxide), 'zoyDperoxide, bis(p bromobenzoyl) peroxide,

"increases the stability at atmospheric tempera- .out proportionately decreasing the curability of the composition. The stabilizer in a composition embodying the invention is a monohydric phenol having six carbon atoms, the total number of are connected to any atom of than one. In addition the benzene nucleus in the molecule of a monohydric phenol that acts as a stabilizer in th practice of the present invention, there may be as many as five other nuclear substituents, which may be amino groups and halogens having an atomic weight greater than 5 (i. e., chlorine, bromine and iodine) but may not be, for example, nitro radicals, for in such radicals the total number of oxygen atoms that are connected to an atom that is connected to the nucleus is greater than one. O-chlorophenol is a very efiective stabilizer. The most desirable stabilizer in the practice of the present invention is phenol.

A polyhydric phenol nucleus being not greater having six carbon atoms,

, for example, hydroquinone, does not act as a stabilizer in a thermosetting composition comprising a polymerizable unsaturated polyhydric alcohol-polycarboxylic acid polyester and a catalyst of the class consisting of organic peroxides and organic ozonides carried on a filler in conas is hereinafter demonstrated.

CATALYST A stabilized thermosetting composition of the invention contains a catalyst of the class consisting of organic peroxides and organic ozonides, which is essential for rapid polymerization of The includes compounds tact with air,

having the general formula RO-O-Y wherein R is alkyl, aralkyl, acyl, or hydroxysubstituted Or halo-substituted alkyl, aralkyl or is of the same class as Acidic peroxides in which Y and R are acyl or hydroxyor halo-substituted acyl, which may be used as catalysts in the practice of the invention,

include: bis(benzoyl) peroxide, bis(p-bromobenzoyl) -peroxide, bis(phthalyl) peroxide, bis(pchlorobenzoyl) peroxide, bis (dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(succinyl)peroxide, acetyl benzoyl peroxide, bis(acetyl)peroxide and bis(chloroacetyl)- peroxide.

Peroxy acids in which R is acyl and Y is hydrogen, and peroxy acid esters in which R is acyl and Y is alkyl or aralkyl, which act as curing catalysts in the present invention, include peracetic acid, perbenzoic acid, t-butyl perbenzoate, and

benzyl peracetate.

Hydrogen peroxides in which R is alkyl or .aralkyl and Y is hydrogen, which act as curing catalysts in the present invention, include tbutyl hydroperoxide.

Organic ozonides which may be used as curing catalysts in the practice of the present invention include diisopropylene ozonide and diisobutylene ozonide.

Mixtures of organic peroxides and organic ozonides may also'be used as the curing catalyst. Organic peroxides in which R is benzoyl or halosubstituted benzoyl such as benzoyl peroxide bis(p-chlorobenrnosetting composition of the tact with air. The filler v(i. e., a filler from a vegetable or animal source) is the purest and air varies with the -is a liquid of very low viscosity,

4 agent (as hereinbefore tact with air in the form of a damp powder. That i the dry fibrous filler, a 1 is obtained.)

'' pared by reaction -bis(dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, and t-butyl per- FILLER A stabilized thermosetting composition of the present invention is in a physical form such that air permeates the composition. A stabilized therinvention contains other ingredients in conmay be an organic filler a filler which carries the or an inorganic or mineral filler. Organic fillers which may be used include alpha cellulose,-which lightest-colored organic material ordinarily available. Inorganic or mineral fillers which may be used include fibrous fillers such as glass fiber or asbestos, and non-fibrous fillers such as ground glass, clay, calcium silicate.

POLYMERIZABLE UNSATURATED ALKYD RE SIN The choice of the filler which carries the other ingredients of a thermosetting composition embodying the present invention in contact with properties of the polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resin (i. e., polymerizable unsaturated polyhydric alcoholpolycarboxylic acid polyester) used in the thermosetting composition, as well as with the specific properties demica, talc or sired in the final product. Any unsaturated polyester that is polymerizable into an infusible resin at ordinary molding temperatures, or any mixture of such materials with one another or with one or more other materials which may or may not be polymerizable, may be used in the practice of the present invention. The polymerizable unsaturated polyester may be a limpid liquid of very low viscosity, or a tacky, viscous liquid, or may be of any consistency depending upon the materials used in its preparation and the degree to .which they are reacted.

When the polymerizable unsaturated polyester it can be carried catalyst and a stabilizing defined) on a filler in conin admixture with a is, a highly absorbent filler may be used which :can absorb a large quantity of the other ingredients without being other ingredients, so essentially the form of the filler. the filler indicates a tendency for the filler to be 5 soluble in the liquid ingredients, so that, instead dissolved or swelled by the that the composition has (Swelling of of a composition having essentially the form of dough or gelatinous mass In the preparation of a composition embodying the invention having a leathery texture, when the ingredients other than the filler form a very tacky liquid, a given amount of a highly absorbent filler causes a greater reduction in tackiness (with r subsequent increase in ease of granulating) than an equivalent amount of a less absorbent filler.

i However, although an inorganic or mineral filler may be less absorbent 1 therefore may be required in a to obtain the desired f may be preferred for properties that such a filler imparts.

than an organic filler and higher proportion leathery texture, it still the improved electrical unsaturated polyester is preof a polyhydric alcohol with a polybasic acid. It is preferable to employ a dihydric alcohol and a dibasic acid in order to pro- A polymerizable duce a product in which there is a maximum esterification of the acid and alcohol radicals without excessive viscosity. Ordinarily it is desirable that the unsaturated polyester be polymerizable into an infusible or high melting point resin so that the proportion of unsaturated components should be such that t. e polyester contains an average of more than one double bond per molecule; for example, there may be an average of eleven or more double bonds in every ten molecules of the polyester.

The polymerizable unsaturated polyester may be produced by reaction or" any desired combination of polybasic acid and polyhydric alcohol. For example, an unsaturated dibasic acid such as maleic, fumaric, itaconic, citraconic or mesaconic acid may be reacted with a dihydric alcohol such as any polymethylene glycol in the series from ethylene glycol to decametylene glycol, propylene glycol, any butylene glycol, any polyethylene glycol in the series from diethylene glycol to nonaethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, any glycerol monobasic acid monoester (either in the alpha or beta position), such as monoformin or monoacetin, any monoether of glycerol with a monohydric alcohol, such as monomethylin or monoethylin, or any dihydroxy alkane in which the alcohol radicals are primary or secondary or both, in the series from dihyd-roxy butane to dihydroxy decane.

Each of such unsaturated dibasic acids contains a polymerizably reactive A -enedioyl group, and a polymerizable unsaturated polyester or alkyd prepared from any one of such acids contains a plurality of such polymerizably reactive A fi-enedioyl groups. In other words, each of the acids contains a polymerizably reactive A -enoyl group (i. e., a group having the structure ust and such groups are contained in dioyl radicals in the polyester molecule; hence the dioyl radicals may be defined as A enediyl radicals (e. g., butenedioyl or ethenedicarb'oxylyl radicals).

Instead of a single polybasic acid, a mixture of polybasic acids may be employed, such as a mixture of an unsaturated dibasic acid with a polybasic acid containing more than two acid radicals, such as citric acid. Amixture ofpolyhydric alcohols may be employed, such as a mixture of a dihydric alcohol with a polyhydric alcohol containing more than two alcohol radicals, such as glycerol.

In the preparation at the polymerizable unsaturated polyester, any of the usual modifiers such as monobasic acids, monohydric alcohols and natural resin acids may be added. The larger the proportions 'ofimonobasic acids and monohydric alcohols, the lower is the average number of acid and alcohol residues in the resulting polyester molecules, and the lower is the viscosity of the polyester. On the other hand, the more nearly equal the molecular proportions of dibasic acid and dihydric alcohol, the greater is the average number of residues in the resulting polyester molecules, and the greater is the viscosity. The proportions of ingredients used are those proportions that produce a polymerizable polyester of the desired viscosity. Other properties of the polyester, such as solubility in various solvents, also may be varied by selecting various reacting ingredients and varying theirproportions. The infusibility, hardness and inertness of' the it possible to obtain a pale 1@ product obtained by polymerization of the polyester may be increased by varying the initial reacting ingredients to increase the average number of double bonds per molecule of the polymerizable polyester.

The point to which the reaction of the ingredients is carried in the preparation of the poly-, merizable polyester is simply that point at which the product has the desired properties. The consistency or viscosity of the polyester varies directly with the average number of acid and alcohol hundred twenty.

If desired, the reaction use of an acid substance as a catalyst. Any organic acid, inorganic acid or acid salt that is soluble in the reaction mixture may be employed as a catalyst, but it is desirable that any acid substance used be readily volatile or be of such a character that it has no deleterious efiect in the final product. The amount of acid catalyst employed is simply that amount which accelerates the esterification to the desired degree.

The reaction is carried out at a temperature high enough and for a time long enough to secure the desired consistency. An elevated temperature preferably is employed to expedite the reaction, but during the preparation of the polyester, the temperature should not be so high nor the time of reaction so long as to cause substantial polymerization. There is less danger of premature polymerization if an inhibiting agent is added before the esterification is carried out.

Whenever added, an inhibiting agent is used may be expedited by portions in order to secure the same inhibiting effect.

Any desired inhibitor such as hydroquinone, pyrogallol, tannic acid or any aromatic amine, such as aniline or phenylene diamine may be employed as an inhibitor.

unsaturated polyester an atmosphere of an dioxide, nitrogen or darkening or to make or colorless product. Bubbling the inert gas through the reacting in- The preparation of the preferably is carried out in inert gas such as carbon the like, in order to prevent gradients is advantageous in that the gas serves the added functions of agitation and of expediting the removal of water formed by the reaction. Exclusion of oxygen is desirable not only because it causes discoloration, but also because it tends to produce premature polymerization at the elevated temperatures used.

The acid number .of the product depends upon the degree of reaction and the proportions of acid and alcohol used forthe reaction. With equimolecular proportions of dibasic acid and dihydric alcohol, the reaction may be carried to an acid number of about 20. The use of an acid catalyst may make it possible to attain a lower acid number without substantial polymerization.

A polymerizable polyester may be prepared by the'iollowing procedure:

5.4 mole of maleic anhydride and 5.4 mols of diethylene glycol are mixed together in a threenecked flask. The fiask is then fitted with a thermometer, a tube leading-to a condenser and an inlet tube through which .is introduced a moderate stream of carbon dioxide, and is lowered into an oil bath at a temperature of 210 C.

During the subsequent reaction the distillate may be analyzed, and a sufficient amount of the ingredient 10st in excess may be added to the flask from time to time to maintain the initial proportions of reacting ingredients. If the only addi tion is a sufficient amount of the ingredient lost in excess to maintain the initial proportions, the rate of removal of unreacted ingredients gradually decreases and substantially no unreacted ingredients may be left in the composition at the end of the reaction. After 8 hours at such temperature, a polyester is obtained in the form of a stiff liquid having an acid number of 18. If ethylene glycol were substituted for the diethylene glycol in the foregoing procedure, it would be difficult to reduce the acid number below 40 without causing polymerization, and the product would be a very thick gum.

Alternatively, this first procedure, as described in the foregoing paragraph, may be employed except that 1.5 instead of 5.4 mols of maleic anhy dride and 1.5 instead of 5.4 mols of diethylene glycol are used together with an amount of hydroquinone equal to 0.2 per cent of the reacting ingredients: and reaction is continued for 6 hours. The resulting polyester is a moderately stiif liquid having an acid number of 11.

A further procedure that may be used is the same as the first procedure except that 2 instead of 5.4 mols of maleic anhydride and 2.1 instead of 5.4 mols of diethylene glycol are used; and the reaction is carried out for 4 /2 hours to produce a stiff liquid having an acid number of 14.

Another type of polymerizable polyester may be prepared by a procedure that is the same as the first procedure except that 3 instead of 5.4 mols of maleic anhydride and 3.3 instead of 5.4 mols of diethylene glycol are used together with an amount of hydroquinone equal to .09 per cent of the reacting ingredients and an amount of p-toluene sulfonic acid equal to 0.18 per cent of the reacting ingredients; and the reaction is carried out for four hours at 200 C. to produce a stiff liquid having an acid number of 10.6.

As a further alternative, the first procedure may be employed except that 6 instead of 5.4 mols of maletic anhydride are employed; the diethylene glycol is replaced by 6 mols of ethylene glycol; a slower stream of carbon dioxide is used; and the ingredients are kept in an oil bath at 220 C. for /2 hours. The resulting polyester is a very thick gum having an acid number of 53.

A polymerizable polyester may also be prepared by a procedure that is the same as in the preceding paragraph except that the maleic anhydride is replaced by 5 mols of fumaric acid; the ethylene glycol is replaced by 5 mols of diethylene glycol; and the reaction is continued for 8% hours. The resulting polyester is a stiff liquid having an acid number of 23. If in the foregoing procedure the diethylene glycol were replaced by an equimolecular proportion of ethylene glycol and half of the fumaric acid were replaced by an equimolecular proportion of phthalic anhydride, the product would be a hard brittle solid. The substitution of fumaric acid for maleic anhydride increases the length of time required to reach a given acid number at a given temperature. However, the accelerating eiiect of an acid catalyst upon the esterification is greater when furnaric acid is used. When fumaric acid is employed, other conditions being the same, the resulting polyester tends to be more viscous and greater care is necessary in order to prevent premature polymerization.

As a further variation the first procedure may be used except that the maleic anhydride is replaced by 1.5 mols of fumaric acid; 5.4 mols of diethylene glycol are employed; and the temperature C. After the reaction has been continued for 2% hours, the acid number is '73. After 6 hours, the

product is a stiff liquid having an acid number A polymerizable polyester may also be prepared by a procedure that is the same as that of the preceding paragraph except that p-toluene sulfonic acid (1.5 grams) is added to the initial ingredients; and reaction for only 2 hours instead of 6 hours is required to produce a stifl liquid having an acid number of 41.

A procedure that may also be used is the same as that of the next to the last paragraph except that the fumaric acid is replaced by 3.3 mols of maleic anhydride; 3.0 instead of 1.5 mols of diethylene glycol are used; 1.5 grams of p-toluene sulfonic acid and 1.3 grams of hydroquinone are added to the initial ingredients; and the reaction is carried out for 3 hours to produce a limpid liquid having an acid number of 26.

A polymerizable polyester may be prepared by a procedure that is the same as the next to the last paragraph except that 3 instead of 1.5 mols of fumaric acid and 3.3 instead or 1.5 mols of diethylene glycol are used; and the reaction is carried out for 3 hours at temperatures ranging from 200-210 C. to produce a stiff liquid having an acid number of 12.

A further procedure that may be used is the same as that of the next to the last paragraph except that the hydroquinone is omitted; and reaction for 5 hours is required to produce a stiff liquid having an acid number of 28.

Another procedure that may be used is the same as the procedure of the next to the last paragraph except that the weight of p-toluene sulfonic acid is equal to 0.18 per cent of the weight of the reacting ingredients; an amount of hydroquinone equal to 0.09 per cent of the reacting ingredients is added at the start of the reaction; and reaction is carried out at 200 C. for 5 hours to produce a stiff liquid which has an acid number of 10.1.

MONOMERS Although a polymerizable unsaturated polyester may be used alone as the polymerizable binder in the practice of the present invention, it is often desirable to incorporate a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance along with the polymerizable unsaturated polyester. At molding temperatures the monomer aids in curing by cross linking straight chain polyester molecules. The combination of the polyester and the monomeric compounds usually polymerizes more rapidly than either of such substances alone. When used in the proper proportions the monomer improves the water resistance and insolubility oi the final product.

The use of a substantial proportion of a liquid monomer may be necessary mosetting composition which from a somewhat tacky polyester. In order to get the polyester in a form in which it is readily absorbed by the filler so that the composition will have essentially the form of the filler, a sufficient amount of a liquid monomeric substance is incorporated in the polyester to give it a low enough viscosity so that it can be readily absorbed.

A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance used in the is a damp powder 1.5 instead of is varied between 200 and 220 practice of the present inven-' O polymerizable ethylenic double bond that is ca- HOJLCH unsaturated polyhydric alcohol-polycarboxylic H J L acid polyester. The polymerizable ethylenic mmmc acid emc double bonds may be contained in radicals i of unsaturated acids, such asxmaleic, fumarie, citraconic and mesaconic acids, or in other uno saturated radicals such as vinyl, allyl and crotyl H g Ch-lorofumanic acid may be connected to the rest of the molecule by H ester,ether or amide linkages. HOCC-Br A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric submerizable ethylemc double bond may be a vinyl B f i id compound such as styrene, or p-methyl styrene, 0 ac 2,4-dimethyl styrene, -2;3---dimethyl styrene, 2,5- f I dirnethyl styrene, isopropenyl toluene, vinyl CHs naphthalene, vinyl benzoate, vinyl dibenzofuran O or acrylomtrile, or an alkyl ester or the amide of 1% a monobasic acid whose'molecule contains one H T ethylenic double bond or the aldehyde corre- Mesacmlc acld spending to such an acid, such as methyl acrylate, 0 methyl methacrylate',, isobu-tyl methacrylate, CH3 C -& O=H methacrolein acrolein, acrylamide, methacrylo amide, crotonaldehyde, or cinnamaldehyde, or an Y ester of a monohydric alcohol Whose molecule contains one ethylenic-doulole bond with a satu- Citraconic acid rated monobasic acid, e. g., allyl lactate or crotyl 0 (3H2 0 glycolate. H0 --GH: -0 H A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric sub- Itacouic-acid stance whose molecule contains two or more poly- O merizable ethylenic double bonds may be an ester of a monohydric alcohol whose molecule contains one polymerizable ethylenic double bond calbonicficid with a monobasic acid whose molecule contains 0 o one polymerizable ethylenic double bond (e. g., QLL allyl acrylate or allyl methacrylate) or an ester anemia or mixed ester of a molecule of'a saturated dihydric alcohol with two molecules of a monobasic l acid whose molecule contains one polymerizable H0 0H2 3 0H ethylenic double bond (e. g., ethylene dimeth- Malmfic acid acrylate, triethylene cfimethacrylate, propylene O dimethacrylate, hexamethylene dimethacrylate) HO-C-(CHz)r- -OH or an ester or mixed ester of two alcohol mole- Succinic 'acid cules, each consisting'oi a molecule of allyl, croo 0 tyl, alpha-methyl allyl, methallyl, beta-chloro g allyl or beta-methylcrotyl alcohol, with a mole- Glutmc acid cule of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I O 0 below 'no-a L-(cmlr-c -eon Table Adlpic, acid 0 o HCJLOH v HO '(CH2)6 --C|H E Pimelic acid 1H -03 I Maleic acid H0-J. 1--(CH:)s--( 3-*0H Suberic acid o1c-o-0H .0 0

t l.- H0 (0H)1 OH H -43-0H Azelaic acid Chloromaleic acid O O HO *(CHI)i- -OH g Sebacic acid nce- BromomaIem acid: Benzene dicarboxylic acid Biphenyldicarboxylic acid myth Naphthalene dicarboxylic acid 0H Phenyl phosphonic acid Benzene dicarboxylic acid in the foregoing table includes 0-, m-, and p-phthalic acid. Similarly, the enclosure of the biphenyl ring and the naphthalene ring in parentheses in the above table is intended to indicate that any of the various position isomers may be used. In the case of cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, any of the various position isomers may be used either in cis or in trans relationship.

The polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance may also be an ester of a molecule of one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with one saturated monohydric alcohol such isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, butyl alcohol or Cellosolve and one molecule of one of the unsaturated monohydric alcohols hereinbefore described. For example, allyl Cellosolve maleate is useful as a monomer in th present invention.

The polymerizable monomeric compound may also be an ester or mixed ester of a molecule of a tribasic or other polybasic organic or inorganic acid with three or more monohydric alcohol molecules each having a polymerizable ethylenic double bond. Such monomeric compounds include triallyl tricarballylate, triallyl aconitate, triallyl citrate, triallyl phosphate, trimethallyl phosphate, triallyl cyanurate, and tetrallyl silicate.

The polymerizable monomeric compound may also consist of an ester of two substances that will be described, one of which has a carboxy group and the other of which has an alcoholic hydroxy group. The substance having a carboxy group may have the general formula F-OH, in which F is the acid radical of acrylic, methacrylic, or alpha-chloracrylic acid, or may have the general formula Rr-O-'D-OH, in which R is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isohutyl, secondary butyl or tertiary butyl, and D is the divalent acid radical of any of the first nine dibasic acids listed in Table I. When R in the latter general formula is allyl, crotyl, alpha-methyl allyl, methallyl beta-chloro allyl or beta-methyl crotyl, D may be the divalent acid radical of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I.

The substance having an alcoholic hydroxy group may consistof a compound having the general formula in' which a is the of any of the alcohols listed in Table 11, below, and in which E is methylene, methyl methylene, or any phenylene radical. The substance having also consist acid radical of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I, R has the same signifiance as in the preceding general iormula and E is the divalent radical to which two hydroxy groups are attached in any of the dihydroxy compounds listed in Table III below.

Table II cH,=oH-oH,-orr Allyl alcohol CH;CH=CH-CHa-OH Crotyl alcohol CHI CHpCH-H-OH Alpha-methyl allyl alcohol CH: CH:=( l-CHa-OH methallyl alcohol 01 oHFc-cm-oii Beta-chloro allyl alcohol CH: cm-ciko-onr-on Beta-methyl crotyl alcohol Table III HO-CHa-CHr-OH Ethylene glycol 0 H C Ha-H-CHr-OH Propylene glycol 0 H HO-CHr-JH-CHr-CH: 1,2-huty1ene glycol 0 H 0 H C Hr-JJH( JH-C Ha 2,3-butylene glycol H O C H!) r- O H Tri-methylene glycol HO-(CHah-OH Tetra'methylene glycol HO(CH2)|-OE Penta-methylene glycol HO-(CH:)|-OH Hem-methylene glycol H O-( C H!) 1- 0 H Hepta-methylene glycol HO- CH1) r-O H Cote-methylene glycol HO-CHr-CH:-O-CHr-CHa-OH Dletliylene glycol HO(CH:CHr-O)1CHr-CH:OH Trlethylene glycol HO(CH1-'CH:O)r-CHr-CHg-OH Tetraethylene glycol 0-, mor p-dihydxoxy benzene monovalent hydrocarbon radicalor monovalent chlorinated hydrocarbon radical- Polymerizable monomeric compounds having the general formula may be prepared by first reacting one molecule of a dihydroxy compound listed in Table III with one molecule of the monochloride of a half ester of one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with one of the alcohols listed in Table II, or in some cases of the half ester itself. (For example, a molecule of allyl chlorcarbonate, which has been prepared by reacting on 2 molecule of allyl alcohol with a molecule of phosgene, may be reacted with a molecule of diethylene glycol.) One molecule of the resulting product may then be reacted with one molecule of the chloride of acrylic, methacrylic or alpha-chloracrylic acid or in some cases of the acid itself.

Polymerizable monomeric compounds having the general formula include the diallyl ester of lacto-carbonate and the diallyl ester of hydroxy-aceto-carbonate. Other compounds having this general formula, as well as polymerizable monomeric compounds having the general formula o ro-B o'o R may be prepared by reacting one molecule of an ester of an alcohol listed in Table II with a monobasic hydroXy-substituted, chloro-substituted or bromo-substituted acid, such as glycolic acid, chloracetic acid, lactic acid, alpha-bromo propionic acid or hydroxy benzoic acid, (e. g., allyllactate or crotyl glycolate) with one molecule of a derivative of acrylic, methacrylic or alpha-chloracrylic acid or with one molecule of a derivative of a half ester of one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with one of the alcohols listed in Table II. In the case of the first nine dibasic acids listed in Table I, the half ester may also be a half ester of methyl, ethyl, propyl, iso propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl or tertiary butyl alcohol.

Polymerizabie monomeric compounds having the general formula include: diallyl ethylene glycol dioxalate, diallyl ethylene glycol dicarbonate, diallyl diethyene glycol dicarbonate, diallyl trimethylene glycol di'carbonate, diallyl ethylene glycol disuccinate, diallyl ethylene glycol diadipate, diallyl diethylene glycol dimaleate, dimethallyl diethylene gycol dicarbonate, diallyl diethylene glycol dimalonate, 2-(oxycarballyloxy) ethyl ethyl fumarate and (oxycarbomethallyloxy) ethyl methyl funiarate.

The polymerizable monomeric carbon compound may also consist of an ester of a molecule of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with two similar molecules (or a mixed ester of a molecule of such a dibasic acid with two dissimilar molecules) each of which is an ester of glycolic, lactic or o-, m or p-hydroxy benzoic acid with any of the alcohols listed in Table II.

I sodium 18 Such a polymerizable monomeric carbon compound has the general formula An amino acid such as glycine may be used in place of lactic, glycolic or 0-, nm or p-hydroxy benzoic acid, so that the general formula is then 0 o R oi-BNH-DNHB-Jio-R Such monomeric compounds include: carbonyl bisflnethallvl lactate), carbonyl bis(crotony1 lactate), carbonyl bis allyl lactate), maleyl bis(allyl lactate), fumaryl (bisallyl lactate), succinyl bis- (allyl lactate), adipyl bis(allyl lactate), sebacyl bis allyi lactate); phthalyl bis allyl lactate, fumaryl bis allyl glycolate), carbonyl bis(allyl glycolate), carbonyl bis(allyl salicylate) and oxalyl bis al1yl glycinate) The polymerizable monomeric carbon compound may also consist of an ether of two similar or dissimilar molecules each consisting of an ester of glycolic,- lactic or 0-, m-, or p-hydroxy benzoic acid with any of the alcohols listed in Table II. Such a polymerizable monomeric carbon compound has the general formula RO BoB-('i-o-R Monomeric compounds having this general formula include: the esters of alcohols listed in Table II with diglycolic acid, with diethyl ether alpha, alpha-dicarboxylic acid, or with any diphenyl ether dicarboxylicacid in which each of the benzene rings has one carboxyl group attached to it. In the preparation of such a compound, an ether of two hydroxy-substituted acid molecules may first be prepared by reacting the sodium derivatives of glycolic, lactic or any hydroXy-benzoic acid With chloracetic or alphachlorpropionic acid in accordance with the usual procedure for preparing others. The product may then be esterified' with any of the alcohols listed in Table'II. If it is desired to prepare a compound of this type whose molecule is an ester of two different alcohols, it may be more convenient to prepare an ester of one of the alcohols listed in Table II with glycolic, lactic or hydroxy-benzoic acid, and then to react the derivative of such ester with the ester of a difierent alcohol listed in Table II and chloracetic or alpha-chlorpropionic acid, to form the ether linkage.

The polymerizable monomeric carbon compound may also consist of an ether of a molecule of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,2- butylene glycol, 2,3-butylene glycol or o-, m-, or p-dihydroxy benzene with two similar or dissimilar molecules each consisting of an ester of glycolic, lactic or o-, m-- or p-hydroxy benzoic acid with any of the alcohols listed in Table II. Such a'polymerizable monomeric carbon compound has the general formula 0 II o 19 hols listed in Table II, in accordance with the usual procedure for preparing ethers. If an unsymmetrical compound having this general formula is desired, one molecule of the ester of chloracetic or alpha-chloropropionic acid may be reacted with one molecule of the sodium derivative and the product may then be reacted with one molecule of a different ester of such an acid. As an alternative method, one molecule of the dichloro or dibromo compound corresponding to ethylene, propylene or a butylene glycol may be reacted with two molecules of the sodium derivative of the ester of glycolic, lactic or a hydroxy benzoic acid with one of the alcohols listed in Table II.

The polymerizable monomeric compound may also consist of an ester of a molecule of silicic acid with four molecules of an ester of glycolic or lactic acid with any of the alcohols listed in Table II. Such a polymerizable monomeric carbon compound has the general formula WALK b-tLo-n in which I) is methylene or methyl methylene and R has the same significance as before. Such compounds include tetra(allyl glycolate) silicate and tetra(ally1 lactate) silicate. PREPARATION OF STABILIZED COMPOSI- TION In a stabilized thermosetting composition of the present invention the proportion of filler to polymerizable binder (i. e., polymerizable unsaturated polyester or mixture thereof with a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric compound or with other substances which may or may not be polymerizable) varies with the specific characteristics of the binder and filler and with the desired physical form of the composition.

In general, the proportion of an organic filler may range from about 40 to about 75 per cent of the thermosetting composition. (As used herein the terms per cent and parts mean per cent and parts by weight unless otherwise designated.) Usually, it is preferable that the proportion of an organic filler be within a range of about 50 to 65 per cent of the composition, and it is most desirable that it be about 60 per cent of the composition. The proportion of an inorganic filler may range from about 40 to about 85 per cent of the thermosetting composition, but it is usually preferable that it be within a range of about 60 to '70 per cent of the composition. However, these ranges vary with the specific characteristics of the polymerizable binder in the composition and with the form in which the binder (along with the catalyst and stabilizer is carried on the filler in contact with air.

For example, when a stabilized thermosetting composition of the invention is prepared using a relatively hard polymerizable binder, the proportion of filler may be relatively low. However, even such a binder is not entirely crystalline and still contains some tacky liquid, so that a filler is necessary in order to carry it in contact with air. Grinding Of a filler impregnated with such a binder, to produce particles in which the binder is carried in contact with air, is possible even when from about 20 to about 30 per cent of the polymerizable binder consists of a polymerizable monomeric substance. The proportion of filler may be as large as it is possible to employ while still permitting the material to be held together by the binder in the form of a coherent finished article. The maximum proportion of filler that can be employed depends upon the absorbency of the filler, because an absorbent filler reduces the apparent proportion of binder by absorbing more of the binder.

In the preparation of a composition having the form of a dough of putty which can be rolled into sheets or extruded in rods or ribbons which are soft enough to be placed directly in the mold, the proportion of filler to prepare a dough of a given consistency varies with the absorbency of the filler and with the tackiness of the binder.

When it is desired to prepare a powdery thermosetting composition having essentially the form of the finely divided filler, an absorbent filler is added to a liquid binder of suiiiciently low viscosity so that the filler can absorb a large amount of the binder. It is evident that a much lower proportion of a highly absorbent filler would be required to absorb the binder than would be required with a less absorbent filler.

If too large a proportion of filler is used with a tacky, viscous binder the binder will not coat the filler so as to form a dough or solid mass which can be rolled into sheets, but instead there will be formed a damp powder which is essentially a mixture of impregnated filler with unimpregnated filler. Such a composition may still be useful, for at molding temperatures the viscosity of the resin is decreased so that the resin may then flow and uniformly impregnate the filler.

When a composition is desired that will form sheets having a leathery texture which can be easily chopped into particles, the proportion of filler required to impart a leathery texture varies with the tackiness of the binder and with the absorbency of the filler, as well as with the specific leathery texture desired. That is, the proportion may range from the minimum amount of filler required to reduce the tackiness of the material to such an extent that fine particles thereof will not coalesce, to the maximum amount of filler that may be used without converting the material to a non-cohesive mass containing such a small amount of the polymerizable binder that it does not function as a binder (i. e., that it will not hold the material together to form a coherent finished article.) Thus it is apparent that the amount of filler which may be used may be predetermined readily by experiment and that the specific leathery texture which it is desired to impart to the material may be obtained by the use of a predetermined amount of filler or simply by admixture of the filler during a milling operation until the desired leathery texture of the material is obtained.

A typical unsaturated polyester which may be used as a polymerizable binder in the practice of the invention is one prepared by the reaction of 0.2 mol of phthalic anhydride and 0.8 mol of maleic anhydride with 1.05 mols of ethylene glycol according to the procedure described hereinbefore. The amount of filler required to impart a leathery texture to such a polyester depends on the type of filler used as well as on the presence of other ingredients admixed with the polyester.

For example, if a cellulose fiiller (e. g., alphacellulose) is used, it can be used in amounts ranging from about 40 to about 60 per cent of the polyester in order terial. If about one-fifth of the polyester is reto obtain a leathery mag :By comparison, if a mineral fiber filler (e. g.,

asbestos) is used in the practice of the invention,

to obtain a leathery material. If about one-fifth of the polyester is replaced by the polymerizale liquid monomer, the amount of mineral filler required to obtain a leathery material ranges from about 65 to about 80 per cent of the polyestermonomer composition. Thus it can be seen that a mineral fiber filler, which is much less absorbent than a cellulose filler, must be used in a greater amount than a cellulose filler in order to obtain a leathery material.

The behavior of non-fibrous mineral fillers such as clay, mica, talc and calcium silicate is diiTe'rent from the behavior of a cellulose filler or a mineral fiber filler. For example, if a nonfibrous mineral filler is used in the practice of the invention; it is used in amounts ranging from about Go to about 80 order to obtain a leathery material. If about one 'fifth of the polyester is replaced by the polymerizable liquid monomer the amount of nonfibrous mineral filler required to obtain a leathery material ranges from about 70 to about 85 per cent of the polyester-monomer composition.

Ordinarily in the preparation of a material having a leathery texture the polyester used is nonc'ry'stalline. However, the polyester used need only be non-crystalline while a leathery texture isbeing imparted to the material. If the polyester is of a type that does undergo crystallization, it may be used to produce a leathery sheet at any time before appreciable crystallization takes place, i. e., while it remains non-crystalline. Crystallization of the polyester in the leathery material may then take place before or after the material is chopped into particles.

As hereinbefore stated, from the standpoint of economy of time and money it is desirable that a thermosetting composition when received by the user contain a catalyst that promotes rapid polymerization of the composition at molding temperatures. However, a curing catalyst incor porated in a thermosetting composition in an amount sufiicient to cause the composition to cure completely at molding temperatures so as to produce fully cured molded articles heretofore has had the efiect of promoting polymerization at atmospheric temperatures to such an extent that after storage for short periods the composi-' tion becomes a substantially infusible, Worthless mass that cannot be formed into any useful product. Even during shipment such. a th'ermosettinz'z composition may beoorne at least partially set up so that it is contaminated with hard spots of polymerized material. A few hard stones or precured granules may damage expensive mold, and also may cause defective spots in pieces molded from such material which are readily apparent even to an inexperienced observer. Such spots make a molded piece unsatisfactory for commercial use.

The use of a smaller amount of curing catalyst than is normally required for complete cure at molding temperatures may be effective per cent of the polyester in in pre- 22 venting polymerization of the composition to an infusible worthless mass. However, there is a proportionate loss in the water resistance,

strength, electrical properties and general qual- V ity of articles molded from the composition. During storage some of the catalyst, Which'is in a reduced proportion to start with, appears to decompose so that the curability becomes pro- V v the composition becomes a worth-less unpolymerizable mass. The addition of an inhibitor in place of omission of part of the catalyst has the same undesirable effect on on an ordinary inhibitor is used in an amount sufficient to prevent polymerization of the composition at atmospheric temperatures to an infusible worthless mass, the inhibiting action rein effect during fabrication of articles from the composition and interferes composition over a period of time the inhibitor in effect uses up" the catalyst so that the composition eventually becomes a Worthless unpolymerizable mass.

A thermosetting composition embodying the invention having incorporated therein a curing catalyst is stable at atmospheric temperatures because it contains a stabilizer (as hereinbefo're defined) and because a filler carries the other ingredients (thepolymerizable hinder, the catalyst and the stabilizer) in contact with air. A thermosetting composition embodying the'im ention is stable during storage under ordinary conditions for a given period in that it meets both of the following conditions during that period: (1) the composition neither polymerizes to a hard unusable mass nor are there developed appreciable lumps or hard centers which will produce defective spots in pieces molded from such material and (2) the composition retains its plasticity and curability so that it can be molded into pieces having a cured quality that is at molding temperatures hard pieces that are redeterioration and crackin a very short time to sistant to Water and to ing from heat, etc).

A composition embodying the invention is stable or over two months. This means that when the material has been stored at atmospheric temperatures for two months it is soft and free from hard centers or procured granules that damage the mold, and can be molded into pieces having a cured quality that is unimpaired by such stor age. During storage after two months lumpsof material may start to form and/or the curability of the material start to decrease, but the material may still be quite satisfactory for commercial use for three months of storage. After three months of storage the material may not be stable, 1. e., hard centers or procured granules may develop sufiiciently to cause defective spots in a molded piece that mare the piece unsatisfactory for commercial use, and/or the durability of the material may decrease to such an extent that the outed quality of the molded material is not good enough 'for it to be considered commercially useful.

A thermosetting' composition embodying the invention rarely olymerase during Storage at atmospheric temperatures to a hard worthless mass. Instead it may become unstable because of the ourability of the material decreases. When the stability 'fail's after a long period of storage by reason of loss of curability, such loss of curability may be due tothe fact that the catalyst to decompose after such a period,

23' so that the material does not cure properly because the proportion of curing catalyst is too low. A composition which does not contain a stabilizer and contains instead such a small amount of catalyst that polymerization does not occur at atmospheric temperatures would fail by reason of loss of curability after a shorter period, because the catalyst proportion is less to start with.

The proportion of curing catalyst used in the practice of the invention is simply the proportion that causes the composition to polymerize at the desired rate, and, as the term catalyst the usual catalytic amount, i. e., ranging from about 0.01 per cent to about per cent or the polymerizable binder. It is ordinarily not desirable to use a concentration of catalyst larger than about 5 per cent of the polymerizable binder in an attempt to increase the curability at molding temperatures, because beyond a certain concentration, which varies for specific catalysts, the catalytic effect no longer increases and remains approximately constant. There is also a greater tendency for a composition containing an excess of curing catalyst to polymerize at atmospheric temperatures, so that unless the amount of stabilizer used in a thermosetting composition embodying the invention to prevent curing of the composition at atmospheric temperatures is also increased, the stability of the composition will be reduced. Furthermore, it is wasteful to use a large excess of curing catalyst because the rate of decomposition of the catalyst appears to increase with its concentration, so that the greater the amount of catalyst, the more rapidly it appears to be lost during storage.

The preferred proportion of curing catalyst varies with different catalysts, and the amount of a specific curing catalyst required to produce a given rate of hardening may vary also with variations in the nature of the polymerizable composition. Benzoyl peroxide, which is preferred in the practice of the present invention, is desirably used in a concentration ranging from about 1 to about 3 per cent of the polymerizable binder.

The proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition embodying the invention must be large enough to make the composition sufficiently stable at atmospheric temperatures to be commercially useful, but must not be so large than an inhibiting effect is produced at molding temperatures. That is, when too large an amount of stabilizer is present, polymerization of the composition is retarded. at atmospheric temperatures, but there is a proportionate decrease in the cur-ability at molding temperatures. The eifect contributed by oxygen, which is essential to obtain any stabilization in the practice of the present invention, disappears when the material is heated during fabrication to the temperatures at which polymerization is usually carried out, e. g., 250 to 300 degrees F. Similarly, at high temperatures the effect of the stabilizer is overcome provided there is not too much stabilizer present. Apparently at room temperature the stabilizer either prevents the formation of free radicals which might initiate polymerization, or prevents free radicals from activating the unsaturated compounds. At high temperatures the stabilizer is not effective against the free radicals, so that while a thermosetting composition may be stable at atmospheric temperatures, it sufiers no loss of curability at molding temperatures. However, when too much stabilizer is present it may be sufi'iciently active at molding temperatures to 24 destroy too many free radicals, sothat the curability is reduced.

The proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition embodying the invention may vary in accordance with the stability required of the composition. Ordinarily the proportion of stabilizer is such as to permit the composition to remain stable (as hereinbefore defined) at atmospheric temperatures for approximately two months or more. Thermosetting compositions which are stable for periods shorter than two months are not considered to b commercially useful. Thus, the maximum proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition is that which is so large as to affect seriously the cured quality of the composition after two months storage at atmospheric temperatures, so that the composition is not stable (as hereinbefore defined) after two months. The minimum proportion of stabilizer is that which is so small as to be ineffective in retarding the polymerization of the composition after two months storage at atmospheric temperatures without a proportionate decrease in curability, so that the composition is not stable after two months. In general, the proportion of stabilizer in a composition embodying the invention may be as large as 3.0 per cent of the polymerizable binder or as small as 0.1 per cent of the polymerizable binder, but the maximum and minimum proportions differ for specific stabilizers. It is preferred that the proportion of stabilizer be in a more desirable range within the maximum and minimum proportions so that the stability of a composition embodying the invention is considerably longer than two months, e. g., eight months or a year, or longer depending on the specific stabilizer and the proportion in which it is employed. The proportions in which specific stabilizers may be used in the practice of the present invention are given in Table IV. However, the proportion of stabilizer that may be used in the preparation of a thermosetting composition embodying the invention which is stable for a given period of time varies not only with the specific stabilizer employed,

' but also with the properties of the polymerizable binder and with the proportion and efficiency of the catalyst. Therefore, these ranges only in- .dicate the practical proportion of stabilizer that may be used to prepare a stabilized thermosetting composition embodying the invention containing the amount of curing catalyst ordinarily used and containing a polyester having ordinary properties. For example, although use of a stabilizer in the minimum amount indicated ordinarily gives a composition having a stability of at least two months, with a large amount of catalyst the stabilizer might have to be used in a larger proportion to produce the same stability; on the other hand, when the polymerizable binder has relatively less tendency to polymerize at atmospheric temperatures, the same proportion of the stabilizer might produce a stability of longer than two months.

Table IV Proportion (percent of polymerizable binder) Stabilizer i not preferably not preferably less not less more not more thanthananthanl henol l .2 l 2 l o-chlorophenol 2 3 3 1. 5 p-aminophenol.. .08 .l 225 .17

amass The stabilizing efiect produced by a specific stabilizer diifers with various polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substances, as hereinbefore described, that may be present in the po1ymerizable binder. At molding temperatures such a monomeric substance often seems to aid in over,- coming the stability toward polymerization produced by the stabilizer at atmospheric temperetures. The stabilizer neutralizes or immobilizes free radicals at atmospheric temperatures but is ineffective against the free radicals at molding temperatures, so that it does not decrease the curability of the composition at molding temperatures. The monomeric substance copolymer izes with the unsaturated polyester through ethylenic double bonds by means of chain reactions initiated by the free radicals so that at molding temperatures the monomeric substance aids in curing the composition.

The proportion of monomeric substance in. the polymerizable binder that may be used ina therv of the invention varies in accordance with the physical form of the composition as well as with the proportion and efiectiveness of the stabilizer employed. In general, when less than 2 per cent of the'polymeriz'able polymerizable monomeric proportion of monomer may be as high as 98 per In preparing a composition which has essentially the original per cent of a polymerizable monomeric compound and about 70 to 90 per cent of a polymerizable polyester produces a final polymerized product that has excellent water resistance and insolubility due to the presence of the monomeridcompound.

9.2 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated liquid monomer (diallyl phthalate), is mixed in a Banbury mixer with 1.3 parts of fLuperco ATC catalyst (a paste consisting of 5l ),per cent benzoyl peroxide and 50 per cent tricresyl phosphate), 2 ts of a lubricant( zinc stearate), a filler co'ii'si' ing of 48 parts of clay and 20 parts'ofasbestos, and a stabilizer. mixing is continued until a soft, homogeneous dough is obtained. Immate ial i then passed, through warm rubber rollstc form sheets oi a thickness e fapprtxnnateiy A; inch. The sheets are cooled and'store'd'inclos'ed containers at degrees and at 30 to 50 per cent relative humidity toj determine the length of time for which the dough maybe. stored before it can no longer be'cons'idered stable (i. e., to determine the moldable life of the material). (Such conditions 'are ncreextreme than 'the conditions to which the. ""rwou-ld-ordinari-ly subject the. ma: terial. At temperature the stability is, of course, much'better.) v

The us 5 5 eilshie. me ab e t st is particularly advantageous, since by simplyfeeling the s'hee te'd'ji'naterial it is possible to obtain a clear indication of the size, amount and character of any 'lumps'or hard centers which develop during storage. At intervals during storage, in material, sam' ving a stabilizer indicatedlin tthe first column in an amount indicated in the second column is fstabla-i ashereinbeforedefined.

Flor the sake of. comparison, sheets of .the same dough which contain; no stabilizer are also prepared and tested by theprocedurfedescribed here- Thismaterial is the control indicated wa if T% T l Amount Months Stabilizer p s s ap p-aminophenol ,O5 over 4. o-chlorophenol 3 over}. pheuoll ..2 overl2. (Control) l.

da n irjated..br7 -4 A do Prepa ed ibed. s.

u t lumn b are $01 a do si fis 1 Table VI ggg 6535; Months Stable Remarks ,I- hydroquinone. 02 1 month poymerizes in to ays phenol 03 over 2 months. after 2 months, ma-

terial has not polymerized an cured quality is satisfactory cured quality unsatisfactory after 1 month and becomes progressively worse-polymerizes in to 04 1 month phenol .2 over 12 months...

tonal has not polymerized and cured quality is satisfactory cured quality seriously aflected within 1 month, curability very poor after 2 months, and material is an unpolymerizable worthless mass after 4 months after 6 months, material has not polymerized but cured quality is no longer satisfactory hydroquinone. 08 less than 1 monthphenol 66 6 months The results in Table VI not only illustrate the eifect of varying the proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition embodying the invention but also illustrate the properties that distinguish a stabilizer of the present invention from an ordinary inhibitor. A substance that is a stabilizer (phenol) retards the polymerization of a thermosetting composition at atmospheric temperatures without proportionately decreasing its curability for a considerable period of time which varies in accordance with the proportion of stabilizer. Even when 20 times the minimum concentration of stabilizer that gives sufficient stability for the composition to be considered commercially useful is used, the cured quality remains satisfactory for 6 months. A substance that is not a stabilizer has one of the following undesirable effects on a thermosetting composition within a relatively short period depending upon the proportion of such substance: 1. does not retard polymerization; 2. seriously affects the curability and does not retard polymerization;

or 3. retards polymerization but impairs the curability proportionately.

In the preparation of a thermosetting composition embodying the invention the polymerizable binder, catalyst, stabilizer and filler are mixed in the proper proportions to obtain a homogeneous composition having the desired consistency, i. e., a soft dough, or a material having a leathery texture, etc. Mixing of a filler with the other ingredients may be carried out in any suitable mixing or kneading apparatus, e. g., by using any commercial mixer or by milling the filler into the material on a rubber mill. The process of milling the filler into the material is particularly adaptable to the preparation of a material having a leathery texture because the change in the material from a tacky to a nontacky, leathery texture can be detected very readily during the milling process, since a tacky material adheres firmly to the rolls whereas a leathery material has a tendency to slip on the rolls. Mixing may be carried out at room temperature if the binder is not too viscous. If the viscosity of the binder is too great it may be necessary to warm the binder to reduce its viscosity when it is mixed with the filler. In any days after 12 months, ma-

case, it is desirable to mix the binder in a liquid state with the filler so that the filler becomes thoroughly mixed with the binder.

If the binder in a composition embodying the invention comprises a viscous polymerizable substance and a less viscous polymerizable substance, the polymerization catalyst may be dissolved in the less viscous polymerizable substance before the two substances are mixed. Also, the polymerization catalyst may be dispersed in the filler, as by grinding with the filler in a ballmill, before the filler is mixed with the binder. A fibrous filler may be impregnated with a solution, in a volatile solvent, of the polymerization catalyst and dried before the filler is mixed with the binder.

The stabilizer ordinarily may be added to the polymerizable binder after the addition of the catalyst. If there is a tendency for the material to polymerize at mixing temperatures when the catalyst is added the stabilizer may be added before the catalyst or with the catalyst. For example, when a binder containing a hard polyester is used it must be warmed in order to reduce its viscosity when it is mixed with the filler. A composition containing a hard polyester is very desirable, for upon cooling the polyester crystallizes and the material can be cut into small fragments which are relatively non-tacky and do not coalesce when placed in a shipping container. An excellent method for cooling such a composition is to roll it into thin sheets. However, in order to obtain a composition which is soft and plastic enough to be rolled into thin sheets the binder comprising the relatively hard polyester must be heated. Ordinarily during heating the composition containing a polymerization catalyst might polymerize. However, in the practice of the present invention the stabilizer that is added (before adding the catalyst or with the catalyst) functions to prevent polymerization during mixing, as well as during storage at atmospheric temperatures, of a thermosetting composition containing a polymerization catalyst.

The most convenient form for handling the material that is taken from the rolls is in the form of thin sheets. When the material is warm, rolling into thin sheets aids in rapid cooling. Sheets which contain a hard polyester which crystallizes as the sheets are cooled as well as sheets of material having a leathery texture are too stiff to be used in molds in sheet form and are therefore divided into small fragments before storing in a shipping container. The fragments when taken from the container are all ready for molding.

An essential requirement of a stabilized thermosetting composition of the invention is that it be in a form such that the filler carries the other ingredients in contact with air. A material that is hard enough to be chopped into fragments is particularly desirable, for air is readily diffused throughout a material cut into fragments. The maximum diameter of each particle should be no greater than about one-quarter of an inch, and it is desirable that the maximum diameter be one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch. The material is minced by subjecting it to a cutting action, as distinguished from a crushing or grinding action. The mincing may be effected by any of the well-l nown industrial devices for reducing material to particulate form by cutting action. Although one of the simplest methods of mincing the material involves pressing the material through a fine mesh screen, it is preferaozaaos able from an industrial point of view to employ devices capable of effecting a high speed cutting action. It has been found that when the material is subjected to high speed cutting action (either by causing ra 'dly moving blades to strike the material or by causing the material to be thrown -1- s'ceed against stationary blades) the at a h benefit L). no

. as well shearing force is obtained and d1 on of the material into fine particles is acco lplished in a very satisfactory manner. Industrial devices Which employ a high speed cutting action (and which are pre ferred therefore) include the Abbe Cutter, the Wiley Mill and the Fitzpatrick Comminuting Machine.

Immediately after material having a leathery texture is granulated it may be hot from the mincingoperation and may, therefore, be more doughy than leathery. Before it is placed in a shipping container it should be cooled, e. g., by passing the particlesalong on a conveyor belt to restore the non-tacky texture before the fragments are placed in the container.

-A dough or putty-like composition formed from a rather viscous tacky binder which is incompletely absorbed by the filler and which tends to coat the filler, unlike the stiff sheets of a leathery material, or a material formed from a relatively hard polyester which tends to crystallize, can be rolled. into sheets which are soft and plastic and may besh ipped and used in molds without granulating.

The sheets are permitted to cool before being rolled up or folded up and placed in the container. Usually the sheets should not be thicker than one-cuarter ch. A though the sheets may be as t not; inc 001i) incl'i. rtreinely thin sheets ordinarily are not rigid enough to be self supporting so that air can remain between the sheets, and when packed together in a shipping con ainer tend to coalesce. It is usually desirable that the sheets have a thickness of about one-sixteenth to three-sixteenths inch. Whenadough or putty-like material is extruded into rods or ribbons instead of rolling it into a sheet, the particles in the center of such rods or ribbons are a shorter distance from all parts exposed to air than particles in the center of a sheet. It is usually desirable that the maximum thickness of the rods or ribbons be not 7 greater than about one-quarter inch.

A composition comprising a polymerizable polyester is highly advantageous for the molding of articles ,under pressure. Since a polymerizable ipolyester is fusible and plastic at a relatively low temperature, it is possible to adjust the amounts of catalyst and stabilizer so that hardening at such a temperature takes place at a reasonable rate to allow ample opportunity for shaping and molding of the composition. Shaping and molding may be completed at such a temperature, and the shaped composition may then be held at the same temperature while slow hardening takes place, or may be heated to a higher temperature to cause quick hardening. These properties are in contrast to those of urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins, which are plastic only at elevated temperatures at which they harden so rapidly that hardening interferes with shaping.

Hardening of a polymerizable polyester can be carried out at a temperature that is far below the decomposition temperature of the polyester and thus at a temperature at which discoloration does not take place. Other heat hardenable ill) .carried on a filler in contact products, such as urea-, melamineor phenolformaldehyde products, must be heated much closer to their decompositiontemperatures in order to cause hardening to take place even at moderate speed. When an attemptis made to hardensuch other products rapidly by raising the hardening temperature, discoloration or burning is likely to result.

A'polymeriza-ble polyester may be fabricated in an injection molding machine. A supply of the polyester -conta-ining the curing catalyst may be held in the supply cylinder of the machine at a temperature at which the composition is highly plastic but hardens very slowly, and the mold may be held at 'a'temperature at which the composition hardens rapidly. Under such conditions the mold may be filled rapidly from the supply cylinder by injection of the composition under pressure. The composition may harden sorapidly at the temperature of the mold that the finished hardened piece may be removed almost immediately after the mold has been filled. Thus very rapid automatic operation of the machine ispossible. The main difference between such an operation and the ordinary operation of injection molding a thermoplastic material is that Thusa polymerizable polyester can be molded as economically as a thermoplastic material. The molding of other heat hardenable products is.,a much slower and more expensive operation than. the molding .of a thermoplastic material.

Care should be taken that any material incorporated in a composition embodying the invention does not tend to cause the composition to set .up during its preparation or during storage e. g., carbon black is undesirable for this reason). In the preparation of a molding composition, plasticizers, lubricants, fillers, pigments and other coloring matter may be incorporated if desired.

The followingexamples illustrate the preparation of a stabilized thermosetting composition with air.

Example 1 hard at ordinary temperatures (prepared by .esterifying equivalent proportions of ethylene glycol and maleic anhydride by the procedure described hereinbefore to an acid number of 35) and 10.25 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated liquid monomer (diallyl phthalate), is mixed in a Banbury mixer with 1.4 parts of a catalyst (benzoyl peroxide), 0.2 part of phenol, 4 parts of a lubricant (zinc stearate) and a filler consisting of '63 parts of clay and 62 parts of asbestos. The mixing is continued until a homogeneous dough is obtained. The material is then passed through warm rubber rolls to form sheets which are allowed to cool and crystallize. The crystallized sheets are then chopped in a Fitzpatrick Comminuting Machine to obtain finely divided particles having a maximum diameter of 4 inch. The product of the present example remains stable for 10 to 12 months at atmospheric temperatures. A granular composition prepared by a. procedure that is the same except that no stabilizer is added remains stable for only 2 to 3 months at atmospheric temperatures.

Example 2 A polymerizable binder, consisting of 58 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester (prepared by esterifying 12.5 mol per cent of propylene glycol and 87.5 mol per cent of ethylene glycol with an equivalent proportion of maleic anhydride by the procedure described hereinbefore to an acid number of 35) and 6 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated liquid monomer (diallyl maleate) is mixed in a Banbury mixer with a finely divided powdered intimate mixture containing 1.3 parts of a catalyst (benzoyl peroxide),

parts of a lubricant (zinc stearate) 0.2 part of phenol and a filler consisting of 71 parts of clay and 98 parts of asbestos. When a homogeneous mixture is obtained, the material is passed through warm rubber rolls to form sheets having a leathery texture. The sheets are cooled before chopping in a Fitzpatrick Comminuting Machine to obtain finely divided particles having a maximum diameter of inch. The produce of the present example remains stable at atmospheric temperatures for 10 to 12 months. A leathery, granular composition prepared by a procedure that is the same except that no stabilizer is added remains stable for only 2 to 3 months at atmospheric temperatures.

Example 3 A polymerizable binder, consisting of 15 parts of the polymerizable unsaturated polyester whose preparation is described in Example 2 and 10 parts of a polymerizable liquid monomer (diallyl phthalate), is thoroughly mixed in a Banbury mixer with 0.5 part of a catalyst (benzoyl peroxide), 2 parts of a lubricant (zinc stearate) 0.1 part of phenol, and a filler consisting of 40 parts of clay and 38 parts of asbestos. The damp powder prepared by this procedure remains stable at atmospheric temperatures for 10 to 12 months. A powdery composition prepared by a procedure that is the same except that no stabilizer is added remains stable for only 3 to 4 months at atmospheric temperatures.

Having described the invention I claim:

1. A stabilized thermosetting composition in a solid form having one dimension less than about one-quarter inch, comprising (1) a polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resins whose molecule contains a plurality of polymerizably reactive A -enedioyl groups; (2) a catalyst of the class consisting of organic peroxides and organic ozonides, in an amount from .01 to 5 per cent of the total weight of polymerizable binder; and, (3) as an agent for increasing the stability of the composition at atmospheric temperatures without proportionately decreasing the curability of the composition, in an amount from 0.1 to 3 per cent of the total weight of polymeri'zable binder, a monohydric phenol having six carbon atoms, the total number of oxygen atoms that are connected to any atom of said monohydric phenol that is connected to the nucleus being not greater than one, and. any halo substituent having an atomic weight greater than carried on a filler in contact with air, said filler being present in an amount from 40 to per cent of the total weight of the composition.

2. A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is phenol and is present in an amount from .1 to 2 per cent of the total weight of polymerizable binder, and the composition is in granular form in which discrete particles have cne dimension less than about one-quarter inch.

A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is a halophenol and is present in an amount from .2 to 3 per cent of the total weight of polymerizable binder.

4. A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is a clorophenol and is present in an amount from .2 to 3 per cent of the total weight of polymerizable. binder.

5. A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is o-chlorophenol and is present in an amount from .2 to 3 per cent of the total weight of polymerizable binder.

6. A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is an aminophenol and is present in an amount from .08 to .225 per cent of the total weight 01 polymerizable binder.

7. A stabilized thermosetting composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent for increasing the stability is p-aminophenol and is present in an amount from .08 to .225 per cent 0! the total weight of polymerizable binder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A STABILIZED THERMOSETTING COMPOSITION IN A SOLID FORM HAVING ONE DIMENSION LESS THAN ABOUT ONE-QUARTER INCH, COMPRISING (1) A POLYMERIZABLE UNSATURATED ALKYD RESINS WHOSE MOLECULE CONTAINS A PLURALITY OF POLYMERIZABLY REACTIVE $2,3-ENEDIOYL GROUP; (2) A CATALYST OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ORGANIC PEROXIDES AND ORGANIC OZONIDES, IN AN AMOUNT FROM .01 TO 5 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF POLYMERIZABLE BINDER; AND, (3) AS AN AGENT FOR INCREASING THE STABILITY OF THE COMPOSITION AT AMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURES WITHOUT PROPORTIONATELY DECREASING THE CURABILITY OF THE COMPOSITION, IN AN AMOUNT FROM 0.1 TO & PER CNET OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF POLYMERIZABLE BINDER, A MONOHYDRIC PHENOL HAVING SIX CARBON ATOMS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OXYGEN ATOMS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO ANY ATOM OF SAID MONOHYDRIC PHENOL THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE NUCLEUS BEING NOT GREATER THAN ONE, AND ANY HALO SUBSTITUENT HAVING AN ATOMIC WEIGHT GREATER THAN 35; CARRIED ON A FILLER IN CONTACT WITH AIR, SAID FILLER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT FROM 40 TO 85 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE COMPOSITION. 